January 2023 – RME’s continued dedication to its customers’ satisfaction is what puts them above the rest. They allow different artists to be able to flourish in their craft with reliable equipment and pristine sound. Andy Clausen, a multi-talented musician, composer, and engineer, found the need for reliable, consistent, and stress-free equipment to be growing exponentially.

Clausen is a Seattle, Washington native with a musical background stemming from a young age. All the way back in elementary school, Clausen began performing and creating music with the trombone being his instrument of choice. From starting a band in middle school to traveling to New York to study at Julliard, Clausen has proven his passion in more ways than one. With his drive at full force and many years of experience under his belt, Clausen decided to take the next step in his career.

In 2011, Clausen and three hometown best friends formed The Westerlies. They are a New York based quartet composed of two trumpets played by Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands, and two trombones played by Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch. Since their creation, the group has been featured in the NY Times, created their own label, held their own yearly festival, and have played countless venues. As the years passed, Clausen felt the constant issues with equipment and headphone outputs were providing more stress than results. With a suggestion from a bandmate, Clausen invested in RME’s Fireface UFX+ with DURec (direct record to USB) backup.

“I was playing double duty. I was both performing and engineering so I knew I had to have a back up going in case my computer or hard drive glitched,” said Clausen. “Inevitably it did, one of the songs was not captured by my computer but low and behold when I grabbed the back up drive at the end of the night and it was perfectly captured. I was able to rescue it because of the Fireface’s DURec backup…. this record would not be out in the world if it weren’t for RME’s DURec function.”

After a few hurdles, the album was released without a hitch due to RME. The UFX+ not only saved The Westerlies, it set them up for a whole new chapter in their career. With their first live album under their belt, The Westerlies not only created something brand new but they proved the investment was worth it. The reliability, quality, and proficiency of the equipment allowed the group to maintain focus on their unique craft without unnecessary hiccups. RME has not only given them peace of mind but the means to push the boundaries in the music industry.

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